Key post



Aug- 5, 1958 A. w. MQLENE 2, 845,672

'KEY Pos'r Filed June 18. 1954 JZ/ Idar @1% ffm United States Patent KEYPosr Arthur W. Molene, Des Moines, Iowa Application June 1s, 19534,serial No. 437,783

s claims. (ci. 24116 This invention relates to detachable fastenerdevices of the type adapted to serve as a pivot post for a key postholder or as a detachable coupler for key chains, wrist bracelets, etc.

I am aware that a number of such fasteners have been patented,manufactured and sold some of which are in commercial use and areobjectionable in that they be come accidentally released too easily; inothers it is almost impossible to release the coupled elements withoutdamage to the device.

It is therefore the object of my invention to provide a detachablefastener or key post of simple, durable, and inexpensive constructionwhich may be easily applied to a key holder, key chain, or bracelet; andwhen so applied provides means whereby the free ends of the chain orbracelet to which it is applied may be easily united; and when so unitedbe positively locked against being accidentally released by forcetending to separate said united ends.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combinationof the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated areattained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claimsand illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional view of a key post embodying myinvention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the locking studs of my key post.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a key holder illustrating the manner inwhich my improved key post is applied thereto.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a slightly modied form of mykey post adapted to detachably secure the ends of a key chain together.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the unlocking element forming a part ofthe modied form illustrated in Fig. 5.

' Fig. `Si is a longitudinal sectional view of a modied form of Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional taken on the line 9 9 of Fig. 8.

Referring to Figs. l, 2, and 3 of the drawings the numeral 10 indicatesthe cylindrical body of my improved key post having its outer end 11provided with a ange 12 and its inner end 13 formed with a tapered bore14 to form an annular shoulder 16 to form one of the locking elements.

Detachably mounted in the inner end of the body 10 I have provided alocking stud 17 including cylindrical portions 18 and 19, the portion 19being formed with a flange 21, the inner end of the portion 18terminating in a truncated conical portion 22 providing an annularshoulder 23 and a tapered surface 24. The portions 18 and 22 areprovided with longitudinal slots 25 to form yieldably locking fingerswith the shoulders 23 co-acting with the rce annular shoulder 16 whenthe locking stud 17 is in operative position as illustrated in Fig. l.The stud 17 is placed in locking position by simply inserting itstapered faces 24 into the tapered bore 14, in the inner end of the body10, then forcing the stud 17 longitudinally into the body 10 with theshoulders 23 locked against the shoulder 16, thus firmly locking thestud against outward movement.

To release the stud 17 I have provided a sleeve 26 slidably mounted inthe body 10 and supported normally with its inner open end engaging theinner ends of the tapered surfaces 24, said sleeve 26 being providedwith a 4closed end 27 terminating near the outer end of said body. Asmall lug 28 provides means for retaining the sleeve in the body againstaccidental falling out.

The stud 17 may be easily removed by placing the end of a smallinstrument 29 against the outer end of the closed end 27 and moving itinwardly causing the inner end of the sleeve 26 to engage the taperedsurface 24 to cause the members 22 to be squeezed together, thusreleasing the shoulders 23 from the shoulder 16, after which the stud 17may be easily removed from the body 10.

Thus is provided -an improved detachable fastener adapted to be used asa key post, to be applied to a key holder 31 as illustrated in Fig. 4thus providing means for detachably securing the keys in the holder insuch a manner that accidental release of the locking stud 17 is greatlydecreased.

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated a slightly modified form of my inventionadapted to be used to secure detachably together the ends of a key chain32 which comprises a cylindrical body 33 having one end 35 open andtheother provided with a tapered bore 34 having at its inner end anannular shoulder 36, said bore being adapted to receive a locking stud37, similar to the stud 17 with theV exception that the tapered ends 38are bent inwardly so that the distance between the free ends of saidtapered portions 38 is less than the diameter of the opening 39 and ofthe balls 41 of the key chain 32 when the shoulders 43 and 44 are intheir normal closed position as illustrated in Fig. 5. For releasing theshoulders 43 from the shoulders 44 I have provided a sleeve 45 slidablymounted inthe body 33 and having its outer end 46 closed with theexception of a radial slot 47 terminating in a longitudinal slot 48formed in one side of the sleeve 45. The said slots 47 and 48 providemeans for receiving the link 50 of the opposite end of the chain 32 withthe end member 46 between balls S1 and 52, thus providing means forlocking one end of the chain to the corresponding end of the body 33.The sleeve 45 also provides means for releasing the shoulders 43 and 44,by applying inward hand pressure to the ball 51, causing the inner endof the sleeve to be moved inward and to engage the tapered faces 38 toforce them inward and release the shoulders 43 and 44, after which thelocking stud 37 may be removed and with it the end of the chain. Thechain may be removed from the stud by forcing the inner ball outwardlycausing the members 38 to be moved outwardly from their longitudinalcommon center. The open end 35 of the body 33 is provided with aninwardly turned flange 53 formed after the sleeve 43 has been insertedin the body 33 to retain the sleeve against removal.

The modified form illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 is similar to that shownin Fig. 5 both open ends of the body 54 being provided with lockingstuds 56 similar to the stud 37. A releasing sleeve 57 is slidablymounted in the body 54 between the tapered portions 58 to release thecorresponding stud 56. The sleeve 57 is provided with an annular groove59 to be engaged by a pointed instrument inserted through a slot 61 inthe body S4 by means of which the sleeve 57 may be actuated to releaseeither stud.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided an improved key post or chaincoupler of simple and durable construction by means of which keys may bepositively secured in a key holder against accidental release or bymeans of which the ends of a key chain or bracelet may be easily andquickly secured together and at the same time be easily released when sodesired. Other modiiieation of this invention might be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention.

l claim:

1. In a device of the class described; a tubular body having formed inone end a tapered bore, the other end being open, the diameter of theinner end of the tapered bore of said tubular body being less than thebore of the balance of said tubular body to form a locking shoulder; astud of tubular formation and of less diameter than the bore of saidbody locking shoulder; a truncated cone formed on one end of said studwith its base larger in diameter than the diameter of said stud to forma co acting locking shoulder; said truncated cone and the correspondingend of said stud being slotted longitudinally to form yielding lockingfingers adapted to enter the tapered bore of said tubular body withtheir locking shoulders in operative contact with the locking shoulderof said tubular body and with the free ends of said fingers extendinginnermost; a sleeve slidably mounted in the open end of said tubularbody and having its inner end open to receive the cone end of said studfingers and move them toward each other upon axial movement of saidsleeve; the outer end of said sleeve being closed and having a radialslot therein that joins a longitudinal slot through one side of saidsleeve and extending the entire length thereof; and means for securingsaid sleeve within said tubular body.

2. In a device of the class described; a tubular body having in each enda tapered bore, the inner end of each bore being less than the bore ofthe balance of said tubular body to form locking shoulders; a stud foreach of said bores and each of said studs; of a less diameter than thesmallest diameter of said tubular body tapered bores; a truncated coneformed at one end of each stud; said truncated cones having a baselarger in diameter than the diameter of said stud; said truncated conesand the corresponding ends of said studs being slotted longitudinally toform yieldable locking fingers adapted to enter one of the tapered boresof said tubular body with the locking shoulders of said cones inoperative contact with the locking shoulders of said tubular body; asleeve slidably mounted in the central portion of said body having itsends open each to receive the tapered ends of corresponding ngers uponaxial movement of said sleeve toward the fingers of said studsalternately; said sleeve having an external lateral slot therein; saidtubular body having a longitudinal slot therein exposing a portion ofthe slot of said sleeve.

3. In a device of the class described; a hollow body having an internallocking flange; a sleeve member moveably contained within said hollowbody; a bored stud insertable within said body and having a springfinger carrying a locking shoulder for engaging the locking flange ofsaid body to lock said stud and said hollow body together; said studhaving means formed thereon adjacent said locking shoulder which, whensaid stud is Within said hollow body, is engageable by said sleeve uponaxial movement thereof to produce unlocking motion of lthe spring lingerof said stud; a ball chain having balls smaller than the bore of saidbored stud when said stud is removed from said sleeve and larger thanthe bore of sa'id bored stud when said bored spring finger is engagingthe locking liange of said hollow body; whereby a ball of said ballchain inserted through said bore before said stud is inserted into saidhollow body is secured to said stud so long as the spring nger of saidstud is engaged to the locking shoulder of said hollow body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS GreatBritain July 31, 1919

